1. Technical Field
The invention relates to an insert for securely retaining an audio cassette in a storage compartment of an audio cassette security package of the type adapted to receive the usual hinged plastic storage case cassettes. More particularly, the invention relates to a reusable insert for receiving an audio cassette of the type having only one selection on each side of the tape commonly referred to as a cassette single, which is packaged in a cardboard sleeve, so that the dimensions of the combined insert and cardboard sleeve containing the audio cassette, enable the insert and cassette to be placed in the storage compartment of an audio cassette security package when the package is in the unlocked position, and prevent removal of the insert and cassette from the storage compartment when the security package is in the locked position.
2. Background Information
In recent years, audio cassettes have become increasingly popular and now outsell usual L.P. record discs. The introduction of these audio cassettes into the marketplace presented a problem to retailers in that the cassettes, which are much smaller than the record discs and 8-track cassette tapes which were popular in the past, had to be displayed so that prospective purchasers could inspect the same to determine the artist, songs, etc. contained on the tapes. This presented a security problem due to the extremely small size of the cassettes in contrast to the record discs and 8-track tapes.
Record discs normally are placed on one of their edges and displayed in racks since theft of the discs is extremely difficult due to their large size, which is generally 12 inches. A popular manner of storing and displaying the nearly defunct 8-track tapes was to place the same in a storage cabinet having a plastic or glass front panel that was provided with a circular opening. A prospective purchaser could insert his or her hand through the opening and remove an 8-track tape from a horizontal storage shelf and inspect the same through the plastic or glass with respect to the recording artist and particular songs contained on the tape. The size of the opening in the transparent panel was too small to permit the 8-track tape to be removed through the opening, and an attendant was needed to unlock and open the storage cabinet to complete the sale of a tape.
The small size of the audio cassette made such methods of display difficult from a security standpoint, since the circular opening in the display rack had to be sufficiently large to enable a prospective buyer to insert a hand through the opening for manipulation of the cassette. Such an opening while permitting insertion of a hand, unfortunately also was large enough for an audio cassette to be removed theretrhough. Also, open rack display of audio cassettes in a manner similar to record discs was extremely vulnerable to theft problems.
Therefore, various types of security packages were devised to enable the audio cassettes to be displayed for sale vertically in usual record disc display racks, horizontally in usual 8-track display cases, or suspended from a display rack on hooks or pegs, while retarding removal of the cassette from the package and subsequent theft from the store. Examples of such packages are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,285,429; 3,871,516; 4,381,836; and 4,589,549. Another example is shown in pending application Ser. No. 07/117,310, now Pat. No. 4,834,238 which is assigned to the same assignee as in the present patent application.
These known audio cassette security packages do perform their intended function of enabling open display of the usual audio cassettes of the type which contain a plurality of selections on each side of the tape and which are usually packaged in the familiar hinged plastic case by the cassette manufacturer for shipment and subsequent placement in the various security packages. However those known security packages are not adapted for holding audio cassette singles, which are a recent development in the recording industry. More specifically, these cassette singles have the same dimensions as other multiple play audio cassettes, with the only difference being that cassette singles contain less magnetic tape so that only two songs are contained thereon, one on each side of the tape, as opposed to the several songs typically contained on each side of a normal audio cassette. These single cassettes are to normal audio cassettes what 45 record discs are to L.P. record discs.
These single cassettes are packaged in cardboard sleeves by the manufacturers, as opposed to the usual hinged plastic cases, to reduce cost. These sleeves have dimensions substantially smaller than the dimensions of the plastic cassette case, so that the storage compartments of the known audio cassette security packages are too large to securely hold and prevent removal of a cardboard sleeve-packaged single cassettes from the storage compartment when the security package is in a locked position. The storage compartment of such security packages has dimensions adapted to receive the familiar larger hinged plastic case in which multiple play audio cassettes are shipped to the retailer by manufacturers.
Therefore, the need exists for an insert to receive an audio single cassette which is packaged in a cardboard sleeve, whereby the insert and cassette assumes the overall size and configuration of the usual hinged plastic cases so that the insert and sleeved single cassette can be placed in a storage compartment of a usual multiple play audio cassette security package to enable the same storage and security package to be used for both types of cassettes.